Plenoptic Color Imaging System with Enhanced Resolution

ABSTRACT

Color plenoptic images captured by a spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system are combined with higher resolution higher resolution images captured by a conventional imaging system, resulting in color images with higher resolution than those captured by the plenoptic imaging system alone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to plenoptic imaging systems.

2. Description of the Related Art

A plenoptic camera can collect multiples images of a light fieldsimultaneously. If different color filters are inserted into a pupilplane of the main lens, then a plenoptic camera can capture multiplecolor images simultaneously. However, the resolution of a plenopticsystem is reduced due to the fact that the resolution of thereconstructed images is determined by the number of lenslets in themicrolens array. Different interpolation methods can be used to enhancethe resolution, but some artifacts, such as aliasing, blurring, and edgehalos, are often observed.

Thus, there is a need for improved approaches to increase the resolutionof color images captured by a plenoptic camera.

SUMMARY

The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art bycombining color plenoptic images captured by a spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system with higher resolution images captured by aconventional imaging system, resulting in color images with higherresolution than those captured by the plenoptic imaging system alone.

The spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system and higher resolutionimaging system can be combined in different ways. In one approach, adual-mode system combining the two, uses separate cameras. For example,a complete spectrally-coded plenoptic camera and a separate, completegrayscale camera may have their fields of view optically aligned throughuse of a beamsplitter. In this way, the spectrally-coded plenopticcamera captures a color plenoptic image of an object, and the grayscalecamera captures a high resolution grayscale image of the same object. Inanother approach, the plenoptic imaging system and higher resolutionimaging system share imaging optics, but have separate sensor arrays.The light from the shared imaging optics may be split, for example, by abeamsplitting device or a time-multiplexing device (such as a rotatingchopper) and directed to the separate sensor arrays. In yet anotherapproach, the plenoptic imaging system and higher resolution imagingsystem may share imaging optics and sensor arrays, with the systemreconfigured alternately to operate as the spectrally-coded plenopticimaging system and as the higher resolution imaging system.

Other aspects of the invention include methods, devices, components,systems, applications and other improvements and implementations relatedto the above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

The invention has other advantages and features which will be morereadily apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention and the appended claims, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1B are diagrams illustrating a spectrally-coded plenopticimaging system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a higher resolution grayscale imagingsystem.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system that combines aspectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system with a higher resolutionimaging system, according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system using separate cameras.

FIGS. 5A-5E are block diagrams of dual-mode systems using shared opticsbut separate sensor arrays.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate use of a color filter module without clearfilters. FIGS. 6C-6D illustrate use of a color filter module with clearfilters.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system using shared optics anda shared sensor array.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a color plenoptic image and grayscale image,respectively, from a simulation of a dual-mode system.

FIGS. 9A-9C show images of different color components reconstructedusing standard plenoptic image reconstruction techniques.

FIGS. 10A-10C show images of different color components reconstructedaccording to the invention.

FIG. 11 shows a full color image reconstructed according to theinvention.

The figures depict embodiments of the present invention for purposes ofillustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize fromthe following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structuresand methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing fromthe principles of the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The figures and the following description relate to preferredembodiments by way of illustration only. It should be noted that fromthe following discussion, alternative embodiments of the structures andmethods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as viablealternatives that may be employed without departing from the principlesof what is claimed.

FIGS. 1A-1B are diagrams illustrating an example of a spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system. The spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system110 includes primary imaging optics 112 (represented by a single lens inFIG. 1A), a secondary imaging array 114 (an array of image formingelements 115) and a sensor array 180. The secondary imaging array 114may be referred to as a microimaging array. The secondary imaging array114 and sensor array 180 together may be referred to as a plenopticsensor module. These components form two overlapping imaging subsystems,shown as subsystem 1 and subsystem 1 in FIG. 1A.

For convenience, the imaging optics 112 is depicted in FIG. 1A as asingle objective lens, but it should be understood that it could containmultiple elements. The objective lens 112 forms an optical image 155 ofthe object 150 at an image plane IP. The microimaging array 114 islocated at the image plane IP. The system in its entirety formsspatially multiplexed and interleaved optical images 170 at the sensorplane SP. Examples of microimaging arrays 114 include microlens arrays,arrays of pinholes, micromirror arrays, checkerboard grids andwaveguide/channel arrays. The microimaging array 114 can be arectangular array, hexagonal array or other types of arrays. The sensorarray 180 is also shown in FIG. 1A.

A color filter module 125 is positioned at a plane SP′ conjugate to thesensor plane SP. The actual physical location may be before, after or inthe middle of the imaging optics 112. The color filter module contains anumber of spatially multiplexed filters 127A-D. In this example, thecolor filter module 125 includes a rectangular array of filters 127, asshown in the bottom portion of FIG. 1A.

The bottom portion of FIG. 1A provides more detail. In this diagram, theobject 150 is divided into a 3×3 array of regions, which are labeled1-9. The color filter module 125 is a 2×2 rectangular array ofindividual filters 127A-D. For example, each filter 127A-D may have adifferent spectral response. The sensor array 180 is shown as a 6×6rectangular array.

FIG. 1B illustrates conceptually how the spatially multiplexed opticalimages 170A-D are produced and interleaved at sensor array 180. Theobject 150, if captured and filtered by filter 127A, would produce anoptical image 155A. To distinguish filtered optical image 155A from anunfiltered image of the object, the 3×3 regions are labeled with thesuffix A: 1A-9A. Similarly, the object 150 filtered by filters 127B,C,D,would produce corresponding optical images 155B,C,D with 3×3 regionslabeled 1B-9B, 1C-9C and 1D-9D. Each of these four optical images 155A-Dis filtered by a different filter 127A-D within filter module 125 butthey are all produced simultaneously by the plenoptic imaging system110.

The four optical images 155A-D are formed in an interleaved fashion atthe sensor plane, as shown in FIG. 1B. Using image 155A as an example,the 3×3 regions 1A-9A from optical image 155A are not contiguous in a3×3 block within optical image 170. Rather, regions 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D,from the four different optical images, are arranged in a 2×2 fashion inthe upper left of optical image 170 (the inversion of image 170 isneglected for clarity). Regions 1-9 are similarly arranged. Thus, theregions 1A-9A that make up optical image 170A are spread out across thecomposite optical image 170, separated by portions of the other opticalimages 170B-D. Put in another way, if the sensor is a rectangular arrayof individual sensor elements, the overall array can be divided intorectangular subarrays 171(1)-(9) of sensor elements (only one subarray171(1) is shown in FIG. 1B). For each region 1-9, all of thecorresponding regions from each filtered image are imaged onto thesubarray. For example, regions 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D are all imaged ontosubarray 171(1). Note that since the filter module 125 and sensor array180 are located in conjugate planes, each imaging element 115 in array114 forms an image of the filter module 125 at the sensor plane SP.Since there are multiple imaging elements 115, multiple images 171 ofthe filter module 125 are formed.

The multiplexed image 170 can be processed by processing module 190 toreconstruct desired images of the object. The processing could bedeinterleaving and demultiplexing. It could also include moresophisticated image processing. In this example, the desired images arecolor images of the object 150 (e.g., RGB color images or XYZ colorimages). In one implementation, the color filter module 125 is designedso that the filters 127 have spectral responses matched to the differentcolor components.

It should be noted that FIG. 1 has been simplified to illustrateunderlying concepts. For example, the object 150 was artificiallydivided into an array in order to more easily explain the overallimaging function. The invention is not limited to arrayed objects. Asanother example, most practical systems will use significantly largerarrays, particularly at the sensor array and possibly also at the filtermodule. In addition, there need not be a 1:1 relationship between the6×6 regions at the sensor plane and the underlying sensor elements inthe sensor array. Each region could correspond to multiple sensorelements, for example. As a final example, the regions labeled 1 in theobject, 1A in the filtered image 155A and 1A in the composite image 170do not have to be exact images of each other. In some designs, region 1Awithin image 170 may capture the filtered energy approximately fromregion 1 in the object 150, but it may not actually be an image ofregion 1. Thus, the energy collected by sensor elements in region 1A ofimage 170 may be integrating and sampling the image (or sometransformation of the image) in region 1 in object 150, rather thanrepresenting a geometrical reproduction of the object at that region. Inaddition, effects such as parallax, vignetting, diffraction and opticalpropagation may affect any image formation.

The approach shown in FIG. 1 has several advantages. First, multipleoptical images 170A-D are captured simultaneously at the sensor plane.Second, each captured image is filtered by a filter 127A-D within thecolor filter module 125, and each filter 127 may be designed toimplement different filtering functions. For convenience, the lightdistribution incident on the sensor array 180 will be referred to as acolor plenoptic image 170, and the effect of the color filter module maybe referred to as spectral-coding. Hence, the system 110 is referred toas a spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system. Furthermore, since thecolor filter module 125 is located at a conjugate plane SP′ rather thanthe actual sensor plane SP, and since this typically means that thecolor filter module will be much larger compared to what would berequired at the sensor plane, the tolerances and other mechanicalrequirements on the color filter module are relaxed. This makes iteasier to manipulate the color filter module, compared to if the colorfilter module were located at the sensor plane (e.g., if attached to thesensor assembly).

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional imagingsystem. For now, ignore the color filter module 225. The imaging system210 includes primary imaging optics 212 (represented by a single lens inFIG. 2) and a sensor array 280. For convenience, the imaging optics 212is depicted in FIG. 2 as a single objective lens, but it should beunderstood that it could contain multiple elements. The objective lens212 forms an optical image 255 of the object 150 at an image plane IP.The sensor array 280 is located at the image plane IP and captures theoptical image 255. Note that in FIG. 2, the sensor plane SP and imageplane IP are the same, whereas they are different in FIG. 1.

The bottom portion of FIG. 2 is provided to facilitate comparison to thespectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system of FIG. 1. As in FIG. 1, theobject 150 is divided into a 3×3 array of regions which are labeled 1-9,and the sensor array 280 is shown as a 6×6 rectangular array. Theimaging system 210 forms an optical image 255 of the object 150 at thesensor plane SP. Region 1 of the object is imaged onto the four sensorsdenoted by the dashed square. More specifically, region 1 of the objectis subdivided into subregions w, x, y, z, each of which is imaged ontothe corresponding sensor, also denoted by w, x, y, z.

Now consider the effect of color filter module 225. Due to its location,the color filter module 225 does not result in the creation of separatecolor images, as was the case with the spectrally-coded plenopticimaging system 110. Rather, it provides an overall spectral filtering tothe optical image 255. For example, if the color filter module 225contained R, G and B color filters, then light traveling through the Rfilter will be filtered by the R filter, light traveling through the Gfilter will be filtered by the G filter, and light traveling through theB filter will be filtered by the B filter. However, unlike in theplenoptic imaging system 110, each sensor receives light travelingthrough all of the filters, so there will not be separate R, G and Bimages. For this system, it is usually preferable to not use a colorfilter module 225. However, in the combined systems described below, thecolor filter module 225 may be used for plenoptic imaging and thenremain in place for the higher resolution imaging. In these cases, itmay be advantageous to include clear filters in the color filter module225 in order to increase the overall light throughput.

Everything else being equal, the conventional image 255 captured by theimaging system of FIG. 2 has a higher resolution than the colorplenoptic image 155 captured by the spectrally-coded plenoptic imagingsystem of FIG. 1. In both FIGS. 1 and 2, the sensor array 180,280 is6×6. However, the conventional imaging system captures a 6×6 grayscaleimage, whereas the spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system capturesfour color images, but each color image is only 3×3. One advantage ofplenoptic cameras is that they can capture different color imagessimultaneously. However, one disadvantage is that this usually comes atthe expense of lower resolution.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system that combines aspectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system 110 with a higher resolutionimaging system 210. The color plenoptic image 170 captured by theplenoptic camera 110 is combined with the higher resolution grayscaleimage 255 captured by the conventional camera 210, to produce a colorimage 370 that has higher resolution than the original color plenopticimages. A processing module 310 combines the different images. Theapproach shown in FIG. 3 can be physically implemented in differentways. FIGS. 4-6 show some examples. For clarity, the processing module310 is omitted from these figures.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system using separate imagingsystems. The system in FIG. 4 includes a complete spectrally-codedplenoptic camera 110 and a separate, complete grayscale camera 210. Thetwo cameras are optically aligned, for example by a beamsplitter 430.One advantage of this approach is that neither imaging system need bemodified for use in this configuration. Rather, off-the-shelf camerascan be purchased and assembled into the system of FIG. 4. Onedisadvantage is that the system requires more components than otherapproaches.

FIGS. 5A-5E show examples where the plenoptic imaging system 110 andhigher resolution imaging system 210 share a front aperture (and some orall of the imaging optics), but have separate sensor arrays. In FIG. 5A,the imaging optics for both imaging systems is shared. That is, a singleset of imaging optics 512 operates as the imaging optics 112 for thespectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system 110 and also as the imagingoptics 212 for the higher resolution imaging system 210. In thisexample, a beamsplitting device 530 splits the optical path downstreamof the shared imaging optics 512. Part of the light travels to theplenoptic sensor module 114,180, and the other part travels to thesensor array 280. Different beamsplitting devices could be used: neutraldensity beamsplitter, beamsplitter with some wavelength dependence,polarization beamsplitter, etc.

In FIG. 5A, the color filter module 525 is in the optical paths for boththe plenoptic imaging system and for the higher resolution imagingsystem so it affects the light captured by both sensor arrays 180,280.In this case, it can be useful to use a color filter module with atleast one clear filter to increase the amount of light captured by thehigher resolution imaging system. The filter does not have to beperfectly clear, it could be a neutral density filter or a polarizationfilter, for example. FIG. 6A shows an example of imaging optics 512 anda color filter module 525 without a clear filter (i.e., all of thefilters are color filters). FIG. 6B shows the corresponding grayscaleimage of a color test chart. FIG. 6C is the same as FIG. 6A, but with acolor filter module 525 that has a clear filter. FIG. 6D shows thecorresponding grayscale image, which is much brighter. This approach isespecially useful if the color filters are narrowband color filters.

FIG. 5B shows a dual-mode system where the color filter module 125 isnot in the optical path of both cameras. In this example, thebeamsplitter 530 is downstream of the imaging optics 512, but the colorfilter module 125 is positioned downstream of the beamsplitter 530. Forexample, relay optics could be used to achieve this. FIG. 5C is anotheralternative where the beamsplitter 530 is located within the imagingoptics 512, but upstream of the color filter module 125. In this figure,the imaging optics is divided into two halves 512A (which is upstream ofthe beamsplitter) and 512B (downstream of the beamsplitter). Thedownstream portion 512B is duplicated for each imaging system.

In FIG. 5D, the incoming light is directed alternately to the plenopticsensor module 114,180 and to the sensor array 280. In this example, thetime-multiplexing device is a flip mirror that is alternately moved intoand out of the optical path. When the mirror is out of the optical path,then the light is directed to the plenoptic sensor module 114,180 andthe system operates as a spectrally-coded plenoptic camera. When themirror is in the optical path (shown in FIG. 5D), then the light isdirected to the sensor array 280 and the system operates as a grayscalecamera. Other types of time-multiplexing devices including rotatingchoppers and other types of moveable mirrors. In this approach, thecolor filter module 125 could also be moved in and out of the opticalpath: into the optical path for color plenoptic operation and out of theoptical path for grayscale imaging operation.

In FIG. 5E, a mechanical mechanism moves the two sensor arrays. When theplenoptic sensor module 114,180 is positioned in the optical path, thesystem operates as a spectrally-coded plenoptic camera. When the sensorarray 280 is positioned in the optical path (as shown in FIG. 5E), thesystem operates as a grayscale camera.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a dual-mode system using shared optics 712and a shared sensor array 780. In this example, the secondary imagingarray 114 is moved into and out of the system. Other components may alsobe moved. For example, when the secondary imaging array 114 is movedinto place, the shared sensor array 780 may be moved back to maintainthe correct spacing for a plenoptic configuration. Alternately, theshared imaging optics 712 may be adjusted to move the location of theimage plane relative to the sensor array 780. The color filter module125 may also be moved in and out of place. In one implementation, themovement of the microlens array 114 is achieved by using a flip mirror.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrate simulated operation of a dual-mode system. A colorplenoptic image was captured using a spectral coded plenoptic camerawith narrowband spectral filters placed in the aperture of the primarylens. The spectral filters were centered at 650 nm, 540 nm and 460 nm.The raw plenoptic color image 170 captured by the spectrally-codedplenoptic camera is shown in FIG. 8A. This is before the raw data isprocessed and separated into separate color images. The higherresolution grayscale image captured by the grayscale camera is shown inFIG. 8B.

Based on the color plenoptic image of FIG. 8A, a set of low resolutionspectral images was reconstructed at three different wavelengths, asshown in FIGS. 9A-9C. FIG. 9A is the image at 650 nm, FIG. 9B at 540 nm,and FIG. 9C at 460 nm. The resolution of the reconstructed images is41×41, which is the number of microlenses in the plenoptic camera.

The resolution can then be enhanced based on image fusion techniques,combining the low resolution color components of FIG. 9 with the highresolution grayscale image of FIG. 8B. In this example, because thespectral filters are narrowband RGB filters, a simple approach which iscommonly used in RGB color image processing is used. The reconstructedlow resolution color components are first converted to the HSV colorspace. Histogram equalization is performed between the luminance of theconverted HSV images and the higher resolution grayscale image. Afterhistogram equalization, the luminance is replaced with the grayscaleimage and the HSV images are converted back to the RGB space. Thereconstructed color components are shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. They have anenhanced resolution of 400×400. The increase in resolution is apparent.FIG. 11 shows the full color image reconstructed by combining the threehigh resolution color components of FIG. 10. The HSV approach is usedmerely as an example.

Other image fusion techniques are available. Examples include principalcomponent analysis, wavelet decomposition, more advanced HSV models formultispectral images, high-pass modulation and the Brovey transform.

Although the detailed description contains many specifics, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely asillustrating different examples and aspects of the invention. It shouldbe appreciated that the scope of the invention includes otherembodiments not discussed in detail above. For example, the highresolution image could be captured by a color imaging system rather thana grayscale imaging system. If an RGB sensor is used, the highresolution image may be based on the luminance information.

The approach described above can also be applied to many differentapplications. An exemplary system is a plenoptic otoscope withviewfinder as the second sensor, where the streaming luminance or colorimage is also functioning as a preview for the medical professional toassess the position of the imaging system with respect to the object(e.g. the ear drum). In that system, the purpose is to preview thehigh-resolution image reconstruction. The characteristics of the twosensor arrays can be very different. One sensor array may have largerpixels to sense wavelength-filtered signals, and the other sensor arraymay have smaller pixels to sense the luminance or even a higherresolution color image. Examples of a penoptic otoscope are described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/896,924, “Plenoptic Otoscope,” whichis incorporated by reference herein.

Various other modifications, changes and variations which will beapparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement,operation and details of the method and apparatus of the presentinvention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, the scopeof the invention should be determined by the appended claims and theirlegal equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imagingsystem comprising: a spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system forcapturing a color plenoptic image of an object; a higher resolutionimaging system for capturing a conventional image of the object; whereinthe higher resolution imaging system and the spectrally-coded plenopticimaging system are optically aligned to capture images of the sameobject, and the captured conventional image has a higher resolution thanthe captured color plenoptic image; and a processing module thatcombines the captured higher resolution image and the captured colorplenoptic image into a color image of the object, said color imagehaving a higher resolution than the captured color plenoptic image. 2.The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 1wherein: the higher resolution imaging system and the spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system share a front aperture; the higher resolutionimaging system comprises first imaging optics and a first sensor array,the first imaging optics forming an optical image of the object and thefirst sensor array capturing said optical image; the spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system comprises second imaging optics, a color filtermodule, and a plenoptic sensor module having a secondary imaging arrayand a second sensor array; the second imaging optics, color filtermodule and secondary imaging array forming a spectrally-coded plenopticimage of the object and the second sensor array capturing saidspectrally-coded plenoptic image; wherein the first imaging optics andthe second imaging optics share the front aperture; but the first sensorarray and the plenoptic sensor module are implemented by differentphysical components.
 3. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imagingsystem of claim 2 wherein the first imaging optics and the secondimaging optics are physically implemented by a shared imaging optics. 4.The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 3further comprising: a beamsplitting device positioned downstream of theshared imaging optics, the beamsplitting device splitting light from theshared imaging optics between the first sensor array and the plenopticsensor module.
 5. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imagingsystem of claim 4 wherein the beamsplitting device is a neutral densitybeamsplitter.
 6. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging systemof claim 4 wherein the beamsplitting device is a dichroic beamsplitter.7. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 4wherein the beamsplitting device is a polarization beamsplitter.
 8. Theenhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 3 furthercomprising: a time-multiplexing device positioned downstream of theshared imaging optics, the time-multiplexing device directing light fromthe shared imaging optics alternately to the first sensor array and tothe plenoptic sensor module.
 9. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic colorimaging system of claim 8 wherein the time-multiplexing device is achopper.
 10. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system ofclaim 8 wherein the time-multiplexing device is a moveable mirror thatcan be moved to direct light from the shared imaging optics alternatelyto the first sensor array and to the plenoptic sensor module.
 11. Theenhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 3 furthercomprising: a mechanical mechanism for alternately positioning the firstsensor array and the plenoptic sensor module to receive light from theshared imaging optics.
 12. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic colorimaging system of claim 1 wherein: the higher resolution imaging systemcomprises first imaging optics and a first sensor array, the firstimaging optics forming an optical image of the object and the firstsensor array capturing said optical image; the spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system comprises second imaging optics, a color filtermodule, and a plenoptic sensor module having a secondary imaging arrayand a second sensor array; the second imaging optics, color filtermodule and secondary imaging array forming a spectrally-coded plenopticimage of the object and the second sensor array capturing saidspectrally-coded plenoptic image; wherein the first imaging optics andthe second imaging optics are physically implemented by a shared imagingoptics; and the first sensor array and the second sensor array arephysically implemented by a shared sensor array.
 13. Theenhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 12 furthercomprising: a mechanical mechanism for alternately positioning andremoving the secondary imaging array from between the shared imagingoptics and the shared sensor array; wherein the shared sensor arraycaptures the spectrally-coded plenoptic image when the secondary imagingarray is positioned between the shared imaging optics and the sharedsensor array and the shared sensor array captures the optical image whenthe secondary imaging array is removed from between the shared imagingoptics and the shared sensor array.
 14. The enhanced-resolution,plenoptic color imaging system of claim 13 wherein the mechanicalmechanism flips the secondary imaging array into and out of a positionbetween the shared imaging optics and the shared sensor array.
 15. Theenhanced-resolution, plenoptic color imaging system of claim 13 furthercomprising: a second mechanical mechanism for alternately positioningand removing the color filter module from a position in an optical pathof the shared imaging optics.
 16. The enhanced-resolution, plenopticcolor imaging system of claim 1 wherein the color filter modulecomprises at least two color filters and at least one filter selectedfrom a group consisting of a clear filter, a neutral density filter anda polarization filter.
 17. The enhanced-resolution, plenoptic colorimaging system of claim 1 wherein: the higher resolution imaging systemcomprises first imaging optics and a first sensor array, the firstimaging optics forming an optical image of the object and the firstsensor array capturing said optical image; the spectrally-codedplenoptic imaging system comprises second imaging optics, a color filtermodule, and a plenoptic sensor module having a secondary imaging arrayand a second sensor array; the second imaging optics, color filtermodule and secondary imaging array forming a spectrally-coded plenopticimage of the object and the second sensor array capturing saidspectrally-coded plenoptic image; wherein the higher resolution imagingsystem and the spectrally-coded plenoptic imaging system are opticallyaligned upstream of a front aperture of each imaging system, but thefirst imaging optics and the second imaging optics are implemented bydifferent physical components.
 18. The enhanced-resolution, plenopticcolor imaging system of claim 1 wherein the conventional image of theobject is a grayscale image of the object.
 19. The enhanced-resolution,plenoptic color imaging system of claim 1 wherein the conventional imageof the object is a color image of the object, and the processing modulecombines a luminance component of the captured color image and thecaptured color plenoptic image.
 20. A method for creating a color imagewith enhanced resolution, the method comprising: capturing a colorplenoptic image of an object; capturing a conventional image of theobject; wherein the captured conventional image has a higher resolutionthan the captured color plenoptic image; and combining the capturedhigher resolution image and the captured color plenoptic image into acolor image of the object, said color image having a higher resolutionthan the captured color plenoptic image.